1
as in sensing
to have a vague awareness of
I thought I perceived a problem, but I wasn't sure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in noticing
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
perceived that it was going to be a nice day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in knowing
to have a clear idea of
I perceive your point, but I still disagree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of perceiving
Kepler devoted much of his career to figuring out optics, and was arguably the first scientific thinker to articulate the difference between seeing and perceiving.
—
Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
The newly-sighted get better at perceiving differences in color, shape, and size — even if they were treated for their congenital cataracts after years of blindness—but not so much at spotting differences in shading or contours.
—Sachin Rawat, Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Reading, a way of perceiving ideas through the eyes of others, increases empathy and community, noted one professor.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2026
But that would depend on the animals perceiving the temperature shift—and having the capacity to do things differently.
—Elizabeth Preston, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025
The model is better than predecessors at creating spreadsheets, building presentations, perceiving images, writing code and understanding long context, OpenAI said.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Shifting gears, rather than perceiving AI as a competitor, budding therapists would be wise to perceive AI as a collaborator.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In 2024, Nepal ranked 107th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, with 84% of people perceiving government corruption to be a major problem.
—Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
Chronic pain usually results from your nervous system perceiving an area of instability in your body.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
The newly-sighted get better at perceiving differences in color, shape, and size — even if they were treated for their congenital cataracts after years of blindness—but not so much at spotting differences in shading or contours.
—Sachin Rawat, Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Reading, a way of perceiving ideas through the eyes of others, increases empathy and community, noted one professor.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2026
But that would depend on the animals perceiving the temperature shift—and having the capacity to do things differently.
—Elizabeth Preston, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025
The model is better than predecessors at creating spreadsheets, building presentations, perceiving images, writing code and understanding long context, OpenAI said.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Shifting gears, rather than perceiving AI as a competitor, budding therapists would be wise to perceive AI as a collaborator.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In 2024, Nepal ranked 107th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, with 84% of people perceiving government corruption to be a major problem.
—Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
Chronic pain usually results from your nervous system perceiving an area of instability in your body.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perceiving
Verb
-
The other is exploring the use of optical and X-ray sensing techniques to detect and analyze nuclear tests from space—including any low-yield or concealed tests.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Turion develops space sensing technology, and GITAI USA had its start as an in-space robotics company.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
January 20 – February 18 Your voice stands out today, and people are noticing.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Aquarius January 20 – February 18 Your voice stands out today, and people are noticing.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Watching the trajectory of the baseball and knowing Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill’s ability to rob would-be homers — plus the uncertainty of how well balls fly during night games at Petco Park — Crow-Armstrong figured Merrill would come down with the baseball.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
And there’s judgment — knowing when to act, when to wait, and what action actually fits the situation.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The one big missing piece was seeing her team finally capture an elusive state championship.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Mario Tama / Getty Images file In a report whose data was largely compiled before the recent run-up, Bank of America analysts found that so far, only lower-income households were seeing a significant impact on their budgets from higher gas prices.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Overhead watering may cause flowers to droop or spotting on petals; certain species are more subject to disease if watered from above.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The drones are designed to perform autonomously or via remote control while doing such things as stalking submarines, spotting mines and serving as advance scouts for aircraft carriers.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Signs of a stroke can be identified by sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech; issues with eyesight; loss of balance, dizziness, and difficulty walking; and severe headache with no identifiable cause.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
-
This diversity has huge implications for understanding galactic evolution.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Some residents living as far away as Alameda and Contra Costa counties reporting feeling the shaking, as did Peninsula residents south of the city.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Zuccarello talked to the media after the game and participated in the morning skate before Game 2 but wasn’t feeling right and hasn’t played since.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Encinitas began its current effort to amend its regulations regarding short-term rentals — places that are typically rented for less than 30 days — in 2021.—
Barbara Henry,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
What stands out, in fact, is not Himelfarb’s illumination of the mechanics of chess but his insights regarding the psychologies of people.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perceiving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perceiving. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
